The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word COMFORTED
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
C
O
M
F
O
R
T
E
D
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does COMFORTED mean?
COMFORTED verb- To relieve the distress or suffering of; to provide comfort to.
- To make comfortable.
- To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate.
- To assist or help; to aid.